Towson guard Goodman claims assault by coach

Glenn P. GrahamSun Reporter

It almost appeared to be practice as usual for the Towson University men's basketball team yesterday afternoon, despite an ongoing investigation of a complaint filed by guard Tamir Goodman alleging coach Michael Hunt assaulted him after Saturday night's game.

Players, including Goodman, and coaches went about their business as Hunt prepared the team for tonight's game at UMES with neither player nor coach commenting on the matter. Towson sports information director Peter Schlehr also declined to comment.According to Goodman's father, Karl, an attorney who accompanied his son to the Towson University police department on Saturday night, the complaint stated that an irate Hunt threatened the sophomore in the locker room after the Tigers' 67-62 victory over Morgan State at the Towson Center.

From his son's account, the elder Goodman said the first-year coach was screaming at his son for smiling at one point during the game while on the bench and later returned to where Goodman was sitting in the locker room and kicked a chair that hit the player in the shin. Another Tigers player gave a similar account to university police in a statement Saturday night, the elder Goodman said.

Goodman wasn't injured and was at Sunday's practice, his father said.

Corp. Scott Rouch of the Towson University police department said that the department forwarded its report on the complaint to the office of the Baltimore County State's Attorney yesterday. He had no comment on the content of the report.

The university's athletic department also is doing an internal investigation. A spokesman yesterday said it would have no comment until its investigation was complete.

Karl Goodman said he talked to Towson athletic director Dr. Wayne Edwards early last night and was told Hunt would remain as coach.

"My priority is what do I do with Tamir?" Karl Goodman said. "Does a kid want to play for a coach who did this? Especially when he never had an apology from the coach or anything else. Does he give up his scholarship?"

Karl Goodman noted that if his son were to transfer to another Division I college, he would be forced to sit out a season in addition to any time lost on the court during the remainder of this season. "The kid doesn't know what to do," Karl Goodman said.

The former Talmudical Academy standout gained national fame after being wooed by the University of Maryland, but interest waned in the "Jewish Jordan," who was co-MVP in the 2000 Capital Classic high school all-star game. Instead, he chose Towson.

Under former coach Mike Jaskulski last year, Goodman became the first freshman to become a starter for the Tigers since Scooter Alexander in 1991.

But after averaging 26.4 minutes and 6.0 points per game last season, he has averaged only 11.6 minutes coming off the bench for the Tigers (3-4) this season.

Hunt, who spent four years as an assistant at Towson under Terry Truax from 1988 to 1992, returned to take his first head coaching position after assistant coaching stints at Fordham University, Tennessee and most recently at Georgia. Although he said, "No comment," yesterday, he indicated he would talk after the investigation was complete.

Truax is not affiliated with Towson but coincidentally was at the Tigers' practice yesterday. He had little knowledge of the alleged incident involving Hunt but said it sounded "out of character" when he was told of the details.

"I know he's very much a perfectionist, wants things to be perfect and do well, and I think there's maybe some frustration," Truax said. "But that's not the Michael I've come to know."